Mother of fallen Milwaukee police officer raises money for police recruit scholarships

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --- The mother of a fallen Milwaukee police officer is hoping to keep her son's legacy alive. Officer Peter Jerving was killed in the line of duty back in February of 2023. Now his mother, Patty Jerving, is raising money for future officers.

Poetry and crocheting are two passions Patty immersed herself in after the loss of her son.

"When we got back from Washington, D.C., where they engraved Peter's name on the National Fallen Hero's Monument, I got depressed. All the honors for Peter were over and I didn't know what to do with myself, so crocheting was always a way for me to relax," she said.

As part of a fundraiser for the Milwaukee Police Department, Patty is selling 21 afghans she spent the last few months crocheting.

"I had a grief book, and it said do the things that your loved one would have been doing…I'm too old to be a police officer and so I want to do what I can to help them out," Patty said.

Patty spends hours a day crocheting and it takes about two weeks to make just one afghan. Officer Jerving and his late partner Jimmy Nowak are being honored through this fundraiser.

"Peter loved being a police officer and he loved his fellow officers," Patty said. All proceeds will go towards scholarships to the academy for new police recruits, something Desiree Timmons says she's happy to support.

"I think that's a great idea. I think that's important to keep his memory alive," she said. Patty hopes this effort reminds the community of the sacrifices officers make each day.

"If every citizen would consider the officers that are in their community, keeping them safe and saying a little prayer for them, that would honor Peter," Patty said.

During Wednesday's fundraiser, Patty sold nine of her 21 afghans, raising $705 for academy scholarships. Anyone interested in purchasing one is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Academy.